Chapter 46
Juliet
Dad’s gaze whips to mine faster than the Ednas squeal in delight.
“But mum’s the word,” I say quietly, knowing very well the entire town will know by morning.
“Oh, of course,” Edna B. says seriously. “You know you can trust us.”
Edna G. sighs. “Imagine another wedding coming so swiftly after the Walkers’.”
“Believe me, I already have,” I say, if only to see Dad’s face grow even redder.
“What about you, Mr. Mayor?” Edna B. says, turning her hungry eyes on Dad. “If the other rumors about town are true, perhaps you’ll be celebrating a wedding of your own?”
Dad bumbles a few words together before replying. “You know me, ladies. I need no one else in my life but Juliet.”
He wraps his arm around my shoulder, but I don’t return the embrace.
The Ednas’ curious eyes are on us both before Pastor Bruce approaches and finally rescues Dad. The Ednas try to pull more information from me about Dad, but I disappoint them with my own lack of knowledge before they find someone else to interrogate in the line for the wagon ride.
I linger at Dad’s side, the minutes ticking by. After a quarter of an hour, I wander off, spying Ben and Maven heading toward the next ride. They pause to say hi, their fingers laced together.
“Have you had the chance to go?” Maven asks.
“Not yet. Waiting on Dad to finish mayor-ing.” I give a chuckle, though it comes off more tense than I planned.
“You’re welcome to come with us,” Bennett offers, glancing at Maven, who nods reassuringly.
“Thanks. But you go on ahead. I’ll just wait.”
They nod, then walk away, staring lovingly into each other’s eyes while I return to Dad.
After nearly an hour of him speaking with the pastor and me wandering around, the line for the encounter dwindles, and the final ride is announced.
“Dad,” I say, gently interrupting, “did you want to do the encounter before it finishes for the night?”
“Of course. I’ll get the next one.”
“They said this’ll be the last.”
But he returns to speaking with the pastor, completely ignoring my words.
My stomach tenses. I don’t think he’s doing this on purpose, but I can’t help but believe it anyway.
He said he’d come here to give Archer a chance, but he barely laughed during the play, hasn’t said one positive word about how great the place looks, and clearly can’t be bothered to even go on the hayride—which is the pinnacle of the entire event.
I look at the wagon. Sadie, who’s leading the team tonight with James at her side, ensures the guests get on safely, then looks around, her eyes hooking mine.
“You wanna come?” she mouths out, pointing to the wagon with an expectant look.
I hold up a finger, then turn to Dad. “Dad?”
He doesn’t respond.
With a tight jaw, I step away from him and jog to the wagon alone.
“Thanks for waiting,” I say, somewhat breathless.
“I just wanted to make sure you didn’t miss it.”
I climb into the wagon next to a few high schoolers and across from two families, mothers and fathers with their older children. I feel slightly awkward being alone, but right before the wagon picks up, Genevieve approaches with swift steps.
“Is there enough room for one more?” she asks with a hopeful eye.
Sadie nods and sticks her thumb toward the back. “Come on up.”
I shift down, feeling better as Genevieve takes the open seat on the haybale next to me.
“I’m not taking your dad’s spot, am I?” she asks.
Her eyes search the crowd—a sign that she isn’t keeping tabs on him. Maybe they really aren’t dating. I know a keen disappointment at the thought. Dad must be blind.
I guess I’ve already discovered that for myself the last few weeks.
“He’s too caught up with things,” I say with a strained tone.
She nods as the wagon picks up, and I glance back at Dad. He’s still speaking with the pastor, unaware that I’ve even gone.
I draw a deep breath and straighten on the haybale. I’m not going to worry about him any longer. I know how much effort and time Archer’s put into this event, and I’m going to enjoy every remaining minute of it.
And I’m going to enjoy being with Genevieve. “Did you come alone tonight?” I ask.
“Yeah. Sometimes it’s easier than trying to rustle up a date, you know?”
“I get it. Have you been to Horseshoe Holler before?”
“No, but I’ve been meaning to for months. I love horses, but my job doesn’t really allow for time off during the typical time for trail rides. It’s a miracle I even made it tonight with how swamped I am. I really need to hire some help.”
I pause. “Are you hiring?”
Her eyes turn to mine, intrigue alight in the darkness. “Are you interested?”
“I might be. I’ve been looking for a job in town but not sure what I want to do permanently.”
Working with Dad’s potential girlfriend might be awkward—or it might be the greatest thing ever. I could finally get a straight answer out of him. Or maybe her.
“I definitely don’t have any experience working in a candle shop, though,” I warn.
She leans forward, her chin on her hand to better see me. “Oh, that’s all right. It’s mostly organizing and inventorying that I need help with anyway. I still need to get a job description written down, but once I do, I’ll get in touch. Can’t hurt either one of us, you know?”
I grin. I really like her. I nod my head back to the stables. “About the horse rides, you should ask Archer for a different time that works for you. He accommodates all sorts of schedules.”
Our shoulders bounce against each other over a bump in the road as she leans back. “Why does that not surprise me? You’ve chosen a good one.”
My heart turns to Genevieve even more.
“Speaking of,” she says, lowering her voice, “you two still going strong?”
“The two of us are. Dad’s still struggling.”
She nods as if she understands—whether that’s because of her own father or because she knows Dad, I can’t be sure. “The older men get, the slower they seem to move. Don’t give up hope. I’m sure he’ll come around.”
She’s speaking with an assurance I don’t possess.
The wagon takes us deeper into the dark forest, the jangling horses’ tack and the creaking wagon becoming the only sounds as the party fades behind us. The lights dissipate, too, aside from the lanterns swinging near Sadie and James to light their pathway forward.
“Keep your eyes open,” Sadie speaks to the group over her shoulder. “I hear a specter has been known to haunt this holler.”
The teenagers whisper to each other amidst giggles, and the kids’ eyes widen. In the next minute, a movement of black shifts in the distance. I narrow my eyes as the high schoolers point it out. Another movement occurs, followed up by the sound of galloping horse hooves.
Then Archer appears. A few people jump, including Genevieve, who laughs at herself before looking back at him.
The sight is alarming—even though I know it’s him. Dressed all in black with a long cape atop his pitch-black horse, he gallops his steed across the pathway in the distance, his headless figure sinister and unsettling.
A few of the kids gasp when they finally spot him, so their parents hold them closer, whispering reassuring words to them while the teenagers say to their boyfriends, “That’s actually kinda freaky.”
I grin. Being able to hear the reactions around me firsthand is something I’m glad I didn’t miss. It makes me glow with pride for my boyfriend.
He crosses our path a few more times, a fog machine somewhere in the forest creating a misty haze he rides through time and time again before his horse rears on his hind legs, then gallops off into the darkness.
I smile the rest of the way back.
Genevieve speaks with me about how Archer and I are a formidable couple for pulling off both the festival and Sleepy Holler, then climbs down from the wagon when we arrive back at the stables.
“That was well worth coming for, wasn’t it?” she says. “You’ll have to tell him how much I loved it.”
“I think he’ll be wandering around soon if you want to tell him yourself.”
“I wish I could, but I’ve got to get back. Early morning class at the shop.” I nod my understanding before she continues. “Thanks for letting me sit next to you, Juliet. I always have a fun time chatting.”
She waves as she walks away. I want to shout after her, “Please date my dad!” but I manage to hold my tongue.
I watch her for a minute, hoping to catch her eyes on Dad, but Sadie approaches, pulling my attention.
“Archer told me to tell you not to leave before he comes back out,” she says near the Percherons. “Apparently, I’m his messenger girl on top of everything else.”
I grin. “I’ll be sure to stick around. Thanks, Sadie. This was awesome. I know how much you guys worked on this.”
“Ah, it was all Archer. He always goes a hundred percent on everything.”
Don’t I know it. He’s even that way with kissing. That afternoon was...Well, let me just say I wouldn’t mind being autumn kissed again.
I wave goodbye to Sadie, then wander toward the stage area, finding Dad still speaking with the pastor, his arms folded in his typical “Dad Stance.”
Instead of harping on him now—because the harping is coming—I move to the food booths.
Sitting down on the wagon had been fine, but now that I’m standing, my legs feel a little weak.
I purchase cider and a bag of popcorn and move to a quieter area to lean against the paddock fence where Archer tied up the horses on our first ride together.
I pop a popcorn in my mouth and try to absorb what little nutrients I can from it, then take a swig of the drink. While it helps my shaking legs, it doesn’t help my thoughts.
I fulfilled my promise this week. I even spent more time with Dad than Archer. And he can’t even put in a tiny amount of effort tonight. Why? What is so wrong with Archer that—
“You about ready to head home, Jules?”